Carl brought the suspension notice to Ruth Kline’s ground-floor room.
He had copied the whole thing, including the small line about authorized replacement supply, because she asked what the paper actually said. Mara found him standing outside her open door with the copy held in both hands.
“You should have waited,” she said.
Ruth looked past him.
“I asked him.”
Mara stopped at the threshold. The photograph remained on the shelf. Ruth had dressed for the evening in a clean cardigan, fastening only the buttons her fingers managed easily.
“Does it mean this stops?” She pointed to the frame.
“Tessa’s testing it now.”
